Daily Republican., 1887-07-28
A CRAZY CAPTAINS DEEbs.

| a CbAZk 4 EAfIAkN'S . DEEDS.
Tho Master Altar strange Illness B<
co mss suddenly Insane, shoots at tn
7 M, aes, sets the snip Acre and Leap
Ov srboard In tie Gloom.
Phila. lelphia North American.
The crew OF TIE Germoa ship Anna
which .|s now at the Delaware Breakwate
had t,rrible experience while at sea
ara caine near going to Davy Jones
locker.
The Anna left Bremsrhaven in the lat
ter part OF June with q miscellaneou.
cargo, tound for this pert. The crew
consisted o.s Conrad Weiner, first mate
Robert DAVIS, second mste. ". Sauder
Il. Reemer, j. Graf and Franz Baum
sailors, and GEORGE Decker, q boy.
From the Il. ne of the departure of the
vessel the capt ain was decidedly .unwell
"In fact" sad Fust Mate Werner te
North American reporter yeste rday
"tke captain was in bad way. He com
planned of pains iU the bowels, and was
constantly In bad temper. He silent but
little, and ate almost nothing. On the
third day out he did not leave lis calin
at all, and calling me in asked me to saw
nothing about his illness. On the follow.
ing Gay his condition was very excitable.
and he ordered the men around in lively
way. Towards evening, however, he
changed for the better and ate something.
son the ed o. June he grew visibly
worse, and suffered the most poignant
pain In his bowels. After several hours
treatment with hot sand bags he began
to get better In the evening he took
half drachm OF laudanum, and drank
several cups OF bot coffee.
! The naYf dav tho M. NJ urea nf t.oat
ment was pursued, without producing
any great beneficial resulte. however.
ale took supper with the men, and
again asked me not to enter his case on
the ships journal. The next day he went
on deck, talked TO himself continuously
and appe arod to lament the fate of some
| of the sailors, whom he believed had
fallen overheard. He r. tired early, 81 ut
well all night,and the .xt day was much
improved.
"de told us that his nerves were very
much excited, and that upon hearing the
slightest sound he fanciei SINE oLe was
speaking to him. He always answered
these noises. During the day he ate and
drank with uf, making his observations
and calculations on the chart, and gave
several orders. Before nightfall stiff
gale set in and the captain ordered the
taxing IN OF certain sails, in cor ect
1 manner.
81 was standir on deck about six
O'Clock, continued the first mate, "wben
l noticed the captain ON tie after deck.
he was surprisingly quiet. Suddenly he
wheeled about and asked me what the
crew wanted on the half deck. told
him there was no one there.
YOU'RE liar" he saiG fiercely. 81
heard them say they wanted to pass me
overheard"
"To pacify him." said the mate, l called
the crew out, and the skipper coun ed
them and asked them il they had any
gIudge against him.
"Mby, no. they answered.
"Well, said the captain, 1--we often
heard you fellows grumble and talk abou: |:
casti4g me overheard
"He then sent the men back to their
places and turned in. / went to bed
shortly after ,,ne O'Clock. About half.
past ten was aroused by tie report Of
Shot and a loud cry. Fastening out,
encountered tie boy Decker, who told
me that the captain had ca led him and
then fired at him.
al ran to the captains cabin, but when
l opened the door the crazy skipper con-
fronted me with levelled pistol, and
said II / entered he would put ball in
my heart shut the door, but immedi
ately re.opened it, though carefully, and
saw broken glass lying about the floor.
The captain was in his bed room, from
out of which o dense volume of smoke
was rolling. ] at once alarmed the crew,
and went again to the cabin. The cap.
tain was just C. ming out of his bed room,
and could see the flames licking tie
Irnrppr w hare tho 1plnUa ctnnl
"The captain didn't s:e me, but began
mashing the furniture and e assware. /
sprang upon him, ard after severe
struggle threw him on the floor. Here
he made use again OF his pistol, but miss
ed me. Wi h violent wrench the cap
tain freed himself ana ran out, shrieking
at the top of his voice. The crew by this
time arrived and we turned our at
tention to the fire, which had made
alarming headway. After hard battle
we extinguished the flames, and then
made a search for the captain.
''The night was intensely dark and the
ship was sailing along at eight knott an
hour. The captain, in his frenzy, must
have jumped overheard when he rushed
out of the cabin. The next morning
bloody finger marks on the rail told tho
tale.
1--WE been seafarirg man for over a
quarter OF century," said the mate run.
ming his bronZed hand through his griz.
zly hair, "and can tell you, sir, | never
want to exper ence such night again."
The Anna will be brought up the river
to day.